Low-Income Katrina Survivors

A bill in congress would help low-income Katrina survivors come home. But
the senators from Louisiana are standing in the way.

Demand Landrieu and Vitter act on HR 1227, now.

Dear Comrades and Friends,

Today, Congress has the opportunity to help thousands of New Orleans
residents come back home. The Gulf Coast Hurricane Housing Recovery Act of
2007 would re-open desperately needed public housing units and make sure
there is no loss of affordable public housing in New Orleans. The bill quickly passed the House of
Representatives, but the two people who
should be leading the charge in the Senate—Louisiana Senators Landrieu and
Vitter—are stalling, and without their support, the bill will go nowhere.

Preserving Affordable Housing in New Orleans
Since Hurricane Katrina hit, public housing residents have been fighting to
return home. Unfortunately, HUD (Department of Housing and Urban
Development) is planning to demolish most of the available public housing
units—apartments that were minimally damaged by the storm—and replace them
with far fewer units of affordable public housing.1

In response to residents' protests, Congresswoman Maxine Waters held
hearings in New Orleans, giving residents a chance to voice their concerns
to Congress. Around the same time, Governor Blanco met with Congressman
Barney Frank—head of the committee that oversees HUD—to discuss the need to
re-open housing not damaged by the storm.2 The result of these meetings was
H.R. 1227, the Gulf Coast Hurricane Housing Recovery Act of 20073. H.R. 1227 honors the right to
return of all New Orleans public housing
residents and takes steps to preserve affordable housing in New Orleans. It
requires the re-opening of at least 3,000 public housing units and ensures
that there is no net loss of units available and affordable to public
housing residents. The bill swiftly passed the House of Representatives, but
it won't pass the Senate unless Louisiana senators take the lead. Why haven't Senators Landrieu and
Vitter stepped up? Race and class seem to explain Landrieu and Vitter's refusal to step up.

Some people have expressed a desire to see a "richer" and "Whiter"
post-Katrina New Orleans, and many of them have a great deal of political
influence. From what we can tell, Senator Vitter is playing to those
interests by ignoring this legislation– but as a senator for all Louisiana
residents, it's his responsibility to ensure that everyone who wants to come
home can—not the just the wealthy, privileged, and White. Insiders tell us
that Senator Landrieu is being cautious for the same reason: that she
doesn't want to offend "moderate" supporters who have a similar vision for
New Orleans.

The Gulf Coast Hurricane Housing Recovery Act is the last great hope for New
Orleans public housing residents who want to come home. By urging the Senate
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs to take up H.R. 1227,
Senators Landrieu and Vitter can make it a reality. But if the senators from
Louisiana don't lead on this issue, others simply won't follow. It's time to do what's right for New
Orleans public housing residents and
pass this bill in the Senate. Join us in demanding that Senators Landrieu
and Vitter support H.R. 1227.www.colorofchange.org/hr1227/?id=2695-163428

Thank You and Peace,
-- James, Van, Clarissa, Gabriel, and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team
April 23rd, 2007